


Above All

by arcticliars



Series: The Kingdom [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/M, Haikyuu - Freeform, Whipped Tsukishima, haikyuu!! - Freeform, non-explicit hanky-panky, reader is soft, reader needs to be protected
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-08
Updated: 2017-11-08
Packaged: 2019-01-31 02:24:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12666360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcticliars/pseuds/arcticliars
Summary: There is but one duty that a Queen must dutifully carry out.





	Above All

**Author's Note:**

> this series is called: I'm suffering from writer's block and I'm having difficulty completing the Stained series so I'm trying to recover by writing random stuff
> 
> or its alternative title: I've been watching too much of The Tudors lately

“Her Majesty isn’t looking too well today, either?”

Y/N couldn’t help it; she flinched at the statement, momentarily tearing her focus away from her needlework. She swallowed thickly before continuing, determinedly avoiding the gaze of the King’s advisors, who had somehow found themselves to her quarters.

“Madam?” One of her ladies-in-waiting said gently. “Do you want them to leave?”

Y/N shook her head. “I’m fine, thank you, Lady Veronica.”

Veronica nodded, casting a dirty look at the advisors over her shoulder before continuing to fold the linen.

Of course she wasn’t fine. There was nothing wrong with Y/N physically, yet it seemed as if the entire court was treating her as if she were a porcelain doll. She knew why, however—because she hadn’t conceived yet.

To the people, it was like common sense to assume that when a queen is not pregnant, she must be sickly. And Y/N may have had her share of coughs, colds, and the occasional fever, but she wasn’t anywhere near that assumption. It was a ridiculous thought to expect that she could produce an heir within the first year of her marriage.

And yet, she thought with a sigh, it was an unfortunate reality she had to face. After Tsukishima Kei ascended to the throne following his brother’s death, he quickly married one of the late queen’s ladies-in-waiting—which had been Y/N herself.

There were times when she couldn’t quite believe it herself—that plain old her, meant to serve and not be seen, would have caught the attention of the heir presumptive. It was clear that Kei was to be next in line to the throne, seeing as his brother Akiteru’s marriage produced no children. He’d meant to dispel the people’s worries that the same thing could happen under his rule, and at the same time, seal the bond that he and Y/N had shared a long time ago.

It was a lovely time, Y/N reminisced with a smile, where Kei would deliberately slip out of meetings just to see her, shamelessly flaunt her on his arm whenever they made public appearances, and lead each other in a chase around the castle, to see just who could outsmart the other.

Their union was of little dispute, seeing as Y/N’s family carried no particularly high position in court. At that point, everyone simply wanted an heir, so it wasn’t much of a problem to have the then-heir to the throne marry the late queen’s principal lady-in-waiting.

It had barely been a year since the wedding and the coronation, and yet Y/N found the task of being a wife to be heavier than that of a Queen. She had gotten an idea when she served the previous one, and she had Kei to help shoulder the workload all the time, but wife? Mother? It was unchartered waters for her.

“Your Majesty,” a servant at the door said. “Sir Thomas is here.”

Y/N fought the urge to roll her eyes. The King’s main advisor did not quite fall into her good graces, and it was clear that the feeling was mutual.

“Send him in,” she said.

The servant opened the door, revealing a tall man dressed in blue-and-black robes, wearing some jewelry that could cause one to wonder just how much Sir Thomas Gale was worth.

Y/N rose, setting her needlework to the side before making her way towards him. “Good day, Sir Thomas.”

“Your Majesty,” he murmured, bowing and kissing her outstretched hand.

“I trust you bring me news,” she said, eager to get all of this over as soon as possible.

Thomas straightened. “Yes, madam,” he replied. “The King will be back this afternoon, and he wonders if all of his affairs here have been kept in order.”

“Of course,” Y/N said, gesturing to the pile of papers on the desk behind her. “I just finished approving the last budget proposal this morning. Everything else need only his signatures.”

“Good,” Thomas said. “Very well, then.”

Y/N straightened out her dress. “Is there anything else?”

Thomas cleared his throat, looking around. “May we continue in private?”

Y/N’s jaw tightened. The other advisors stood by, failing to conceal their obvious curiosity about the ongoing conversation. Her ladies-in-waiting waited patiently, though Veronica looked like she wanted to throttle every single advisor in the room.

She nearly smirked at the thought. _Maybe I’ll let her do that. Next time._

“Ladies, if you please,” she said, turning to them. They all curtsied, with murmurs of “Your Majesty” and “Madam” as they quietly left the room.

“Gentlemen, if you don’t mind,” Thomas said, looking at the other advisors. “I must speak with the Queen alone.”

They bowed and left the room, albeit reluctantly.

As soon as the room was cleared, Y/N turned on her heel as gracefully as possible, and began distancing herself from the chief advisor.

“Madam, forgive me for suddenly asking this,” Thomas began, speaking in a grave tone, as if he was about to discuss her imminent death.

“You are going to ask whether or not I am to deliver a child to His Majesty, yes?” Y/N asked in a clipped tone, beating him to it.

“Yes, my lady,” he replied, after a brief pause. “Both the court and the people are restless. They are afraid that the same thing that happened to King Akiteru and Queen Miyako, bless their souls, would happen to your case.”

“I am not barren, Sir Thomas,” Y/N reminded him. “Neither am I too frail to carry a child. It will not happen to us, I assure you. You simply can’t rush these things—we’ve barely even reached a year in the marriage.”

“We, in the close circle of the King, know that, Your Majesty,” Thomas said. “There is no doubt of your devotion to His Majesty, and in turn, His Majesty’s loyalty to you. But those beyond our group do not believe it to be so.”

“What do you mean?” Y/N asked, her hands beginning to shake.

Thomas cleared his throat. “The people…believe that you do not love the King enough, if at this point you still have not conceived. Your popularity has then diminished over the past few months, quite significantly.”

Y/N’s voice was caught in her throat, refusing to come out. Her heart began to race, and her head spun at Thomas’ words. She clutched the nearest chair tightly, willing herself to stay composed.

“I’ve also taken it upon myself to remind you of your sworn duty to the Crown and the King, that you are bound to produce heirs to His Majesty, as soon as possible, to ensure the survival of the House of Tsukishima—otherwise, with yours and the King’s death, all our progress will be for nothing.”

_Duty. Bound. Progress will be for nothing._ The words reverberated in her head, akin to that of bells tolling to signal her demise.

“And it would also do you good to know that His Majesty is continuously looking forward to a conception, mentioning that securing the throne is one of his main priorities.”

_Oh, God,_ she thought. If Kei had said that, then it was clear—she was not supposed to disappoint him. Otherwise…

“Thank you, Sir Thomas,” she managed to say. “You are dismissed.”

She could hear him murmur a polite goodbye, however, as he left the room, she could imagine a small smirk on his face as he had, once again, shaken the Queen severely.

She couldn’t help it; she sank to the ground near the fireplace, a hand to her mouth in an attempt to stifle her cries. Her popularity diminishing this early in her reign, people bullying her left and right because she wanted to take things one at a time, a possibility that she could disappoint her husband, all served as harsh reminders that while she was Queen, she somehow felt like a servant once more.

“Oh, my lady!”

Y/N felt Veronica’s warm hands on her back, as well as her other ladies-in-waiting. Their worried murmurs and panicked whispering were enough to ground her once more to reality: that if she was to prove herself as an effective monarch, she had to be strong.

She stood, although her legs felt like buckling as soon as she was on her feet. “Forgive me for losing composure, ladies,” she said, though the words tasted like sand in her mouth. “Do not be troubled for me. The King is arriving this afternoon. For now, there is work to do.”

As soon as Y/N had calmed her ladies down, they immediately went back to their duties, preparing themselves for the King’s arrival.

“My lady, do forgive me for this,” Veronica said. “But I believe you are still not well.”

Y/N turned to her principal lady-in-waiting, smiling at her. “You remind me of myself when I was in your position,” she said wistfully. “I was at Queen Miyako’s side when she expressed her constant lamentations for not providing an heir to the throne—and that happened often, mind you.”

She took Veronica’s hands and grasped them tightly. “Promise me something, Lady Veronica,” she said quietly, smiling as Veronica kissed their bound hands. “When you are married, you will put yourself above everything else. Your main purpose will be to be there for your husband, but _never_ compromise yourself for his sake. You are equal to him in every way, and you must never be bothered by what others say. For associating yourself with those that grumble of your inability to serve as you are expected to is below your duty, which is to your heart, first and foremost. Do you understand?”

Veronica knelt, kissing Y/N’s hands. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And you must never leave my side, nor forsake me when the hour of trial comes,” Y/N added, trying not to let her voice tremble.

“That will never happen, my Queen,” Veronica said. “But you must promise me something in return.”

“And that is?”

Veronica raised her eyes defiantly. “That you will never again let anyone tell you what to do.”

 

* * *

 

“Your Majesty,” a servant said. “Queen Y/N is here.”

_About time,_ Kei grumbled. “Send her in.”

Y/N walked in almost immediately, dismissing the servant as he closed the door behind him.

Kei knew that it had barely been a year since they had married, but every day felt as if it was the first time he’d seen her, quietly positioned near the former queen, not even uttering a single word. After more than a few “accidental” glances and interactions, and at the insistence of his teasing brother, he decided to pursue her, which turned out to be one of the best decisions of his life. He couldn’t have cared less about the fact that he married a lady-in-waiting whose family were of no big importance at court, as he would have rather married a servant out of love than marry some foreign princess out of duty. Thankfully, his brother had agreed.

He didn’t really know what drew him to her; perhaps it was her demeanor, soothing and inviting, as was expected of her position. Perhaps it was the way her hair fell gracefully against her shoulders, curled to perfection. Or perhaps it was her mouth, which proved not only to contain words that most women of her rank would never dream of using, but also as a welcoming beacon for his lips, tired after a day of endless talking.

He'd thought—and secretly feared—that a big chunk of that love would slowly disappear when they ascended as the new monarchs. He knew that she’d barely gotten used to the idea of being a princess, let alone a queen. But all of his worries were dispelled and replaced with pride as Y/N turned out to be the queen that the people had come to love, moved by her kind heart and calming presence. She also made for an effective leader, proven in the early months of his reign where some matters had to be settled in person, he left her in charge of the country, and found everything in place and somehow made better when he returned. But her fiery attitude never went unnoticed, as shown during her passive-aggressive remarks to Sir Thomas Gale, much to Kei’s amusement.

Where he was harsh, she was lenient. Where he was cold, she was warm. As chaotic as it sounded, they made it work.

He never quite understood how much one person could love another, as he watched Y/N curtsy to him before making her way over to the dresser. Even in her nightgown, she still looked as radiant as a goddess, although he’d never really tell her that.

“You’re late,” he said, as he turned back to his papers. “Did the proposal take that long to approve?”

“No, I finished it this morning,” she replied.

“Hmm.” He made another note on a spare piece of parchment. “Were you avoiding me, then, perhaps?”

She froze, no sound but the scratching of quill against paper filling the air.

“Aha,” he said, after a moment of silence. “So you _were_ avoiding me.”

“It’s not like that,” Y/N murmured.

“Have I offended you, then?” Kei asked, fear slowly beginning to creep in. Had he said something? Did something? Did she somehow figure out that he’d gotten that rash from the bush that she repeatedly told him not to touch? Or—

“I thought _I_ had offended you,” she said quietly.

The scratching stopped.

Kei looked up at her, confused. “What? Why would you say that?”

“It’s nothing,” Y/N said, a little too quickly. She took off her tiara and placed it in a box, then pulled out all of the pins in her hair. Her locks danced down the slope of her neck, momentarily distracting Kei before he forced himself to look at the situation once more.

“I don’t think it’s nothing,” he said, placing his quill down and standing up, making his way towards her.

“Really, it’s nothing,” Y/N replied. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”

“Come now. Since when have you apologized for being late?” Kei murmured, standing behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. She sighed, visibly relaxing at the touch, but still looking troubled.

“Love,” he said, placing his chin on her shoulder.

She didn’t answer.

“Love,” he repeated, more firmly.

“Yes?” she said reluctantly.

“What’s wrong?”

Y/N pursed her lips, swallowing. “I…it’s…”

“Y/N,” Kei said, twisting her around gently so that she was facing him, placing his finger underneath her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “You know we’re not going to be able to solve it if you just keep quiet.”

Y/N bit her lip, summoning all her courage to look up at him. When she did, Kei found her eyes—for the first time—to be full of sadness.

“Do I disappoint you?” she asked. “Because I haven’t given you a child yet?”

His eyes widened.

“They say I do,” she continued, bottom lip dangerously trembling. “And that I do not love you enough to be with child at this point.”

Kei brushed a lock of hair away from her face, then a stray tear that rolled down her cheek. He sighed.

“I have a feeling I know who told you this,” he whispered.

Y/N attempted to look down, but a firm hand on her chin prevented her from doing so.

He knew words would fail him now, so to make up for it, he pulled her into a hug, and placed his chin on top of her head. Y/N closed her eyes, letting a few tears spill, before wrapping her arms around his waist. This was what she needed—what she craved for the most.

“You and I both know I want to dispel worries about the preservation of our line,” Kei said. “And I need a child. I really do.”

He pulled away from her, only to rest his forehead on hers. “But I need my queen, too,” he whispered. “My beautiful, kind, strong queen.”

Y/N managed a small smile as he kissed her forehead. “To be honest, I don’t know if I’m willing to share you,” he said. “I’ve already done so with the country, and I don’t know what I’ll do if all your attention shifts to a baby.”

She finally broke into a laugh, causing him to smile. “That will never happen,” she said, wiping her tears away. “Not with your persistence and inability to leave me alone.”

“Lies,” he said smoothly, his hands grasping her waist firmly. “It’s you who can’t get enough of me.”

Her hands reached up to cup his face, and he caught a glimpse of her warm smile before she stood on her toes to kiss him.

He never grew tired of kissing her, and nor did she. The feeling of her in his arms was akin to the feeling of coming home after a long journey, and he almost always seemed to go on one.

“My queen,” he whispered, gently unlacing the ties of her nightgown.

“My king,” she said in return, running her fingers through his blonde hair as her gown fell to the floor.

 

* * *

 

It was not until three months later that Thomas was personally called by the King himself.

As he entered the throne room, he made his way over to the front, and bowed to the King. As he straightened, he found the Queen next to him, as serene and calm as always, but even he could tell that there was something different with her. After all, the Queen Y/N he knew wouldn’t be deliberately smiling at him.

“Sir Thomas,” King Kei said. “I have called you here to discuss some matters.”

Thomas nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“First off,” Kei continued. “I’m pleased to inform you that Her Majesty, Queen Y/N, is now with child.”

Thomas’ head snapped up, and he looked at her. Sure enough, the queen was practically glowing with pride, a hand on her stomach. Newfound distaste for the queen—who, did not even have an ounce of royal blood—began to surge through Thomas, but he managed to keep it hidden.

“Congratulations, Your Majesties,” he managed to say, bowing in order to hide the scowl that was threatening to come out.

Kei glanced at Y/N, who all but nodded her head demurely, silently accepting the greeting.

“And one more thing,” he added. “It has come to my attention that, without my knowledge, you have been attempting to demerit the Queen and her household.”

Thomas’ eyes widened. “Your Majesty, I really must protest—”

“You have always wanted the best for me, Sir Thomas,” Kei continued. “And for that I thank you. But you have been constantly addressing Queen Y/N without the respect that she is due—as both your sovereign queen and my wife.”

He remained silent, swallowing thickly.

Kei leaned back in his throne, observing the sight before him, his most trusted advisor now reduced to a nervous mess. He knew Thomas Gale had disapproved of Y/N ever since, and he had resorted to quiet ways of attempting to discourage her, though it was ineffective now that Y/N was pregnant.

“No apologies, then?” he said coldly. “Insulting the Queen would mean insulting me, you know.”

Thomas knelt. “Your Majesty, I humbly seek your forgiveness, for I am—”

“Not to me,” Kei jerked his head in Y/N’s direction. “To her.”

Thomas turned to Y/N, who raised her chin a little higher. Never had he seen her so haughty-looking—she was known for her gentle smiles—but at that moment, he could sense from her nothing but the aura of a Queen.

“My lady, I beg your forgiveness,” he murmured. “I admit my faults. I should not have pressured Your Majesty too much. Your will must be done, placed above all.”

“No, Sir Thomas,” Y/N said. “ “Love above all.” “ She looked so pleased to reveal her motto, turning to the King and beaming like a ray of sunlight sent from the Almighty. Kei cracked a smile.

“You’re dismissed,” he said curtly to Thomas, who bowed and left quite hurriedly.

“You scared him,” Y/N scolded him gently, as the King’s chief advisor left.

“I reminded him of his place,” Kei corrected. “You’re not to let anyone tell you what to do anymore, do you understand?”

Y/N raised an eyebrow.

It took a while for Kei to realize how his words had completely contradicted each other. The embarrassment must have been clear on his face, because she laughed, and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

“Love above all,” she said, smiling brightly.

“Love above all,” he agreed, taking his beloved Queen’s hand and holding it tightly as they got ready for the rest of the day.


End file.
